DDC outlines city electric-vehicle infrastructure buildout; officials cite grid constraints and $18M in projects to date

The Honolulu Department of Design and Construction (DDC) briefed the City Council Committee on Energy, Environment and Sustainability on Oct. 14, 2025, about the city’s electric-vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure program, ongoing projects for municipal fleets and buses, and constraints—especially electrical capacity and connection work with Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO).

DDC Director Haco Millis introduced Alan Lee, program administrator for the DDC mechanical and electrical division, who led the technical briefing. Lee described the three levels of EV charging used by the city and contractors: Level 1 (120-volt household charging), Level 2 (240-volt, commonly used for home and public charging), and Level 3 (DC fast charging, 480-volt, for rapid public and fleet charging). Lee said Level 3 chargers typically restore a vehicle to about 80% charge in 20–30 minutes.

Lee reviewed the city’s EV infrastructure history and projects. He said the city received a $400,000 grant in 2012 to install six public chargers and two electric vehicles. More recent work has focused on fleet electrification and bus charging. Key operational projects described include:

- Kalihi Palama bus facility: Level-3 chargers were used to charge the first three electric buses and the site had enough spare electrical capacity for initial chargers; a photovoltaic (PV) system is…